General Information
Research Centers, Institutes and Special Facilities
(Catalog pages 5-16)
The University maintains a number of research centers and
institutes that focus on a variety of subjects relevant to advanced
scholarly investigation of special interest to the faculty and the
public. The research and activities of these special units greatly
enhance the undergraduate and graduate program offerings at the
University.partment is similarly equipped with a
VICON-based system. The laboratory can be configured to study
almost any type of motion. The A.I. duPont Institute is a modern
children’s hospital that has extensive clinical and diagnostic facilities.
Presently, a number of research topics are being addressed. Several
examples are: a study of knee ligament injuries, design and control of
robotic manipulators for the disabled, position and force
measurements during athletic activities, characterization of
neuromuscular mechanisms for knee-joint stability, evaluating the
effects of surgery on gait, testing of surgical and protective devices,
modeling the fatigue properties of skeletal muscle, and design of an
advanced composite hip replacement.
For more information, please see www.cber.udel.edu.
CENTER FOR CATALYTIC SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
The center educates graduate and undergraduate students in
catalytic science and engineering in a laboratory that includes
postdoctoral fellows and visiting scholars from industry and other
universities. Center research involves reaction engineering, surface
science, materials preparation, modeling, and surface
characterization. Other work is directed toward disseminating
knowledge of state-of-the-art catalysis research through preparation
of short courses, textbooks, research publications, software, special
seminars, and presentations at technical meetings. Students under
center auspices may complete research required for the master’s or
Ph.D. degree in chemical engineering, chemistry, or materials science
and engineering.
For more information, please see www.che.udel.edu/ccst.
CENTER FOR CLIMATIC RESEARCH
Established in 1978, the University-wide Center for Climatic
Research is an interdisciplinary center dedicated to bringing together
scientists from the University, national, and international
communities with interests in both basic and applied climatology in
collaborative research. The Center emphasizes the University’s
commitment to developing research in climatology and serves as an
organization to attract external funding. At present, eight faculty,
eight research scientists, and approximately twenty-five graduate
students are affiliated with the Center, which is housed entirely
within the Department of Geography. Within the Center is the Office
of the Delaware State Climatologist and the Delaware Environmental
Observing System. NASA, NOAA, NSF, NIGEC, and numerous state
agencies and local municipalities have funded research within the
Center. The Center for Climatic Research also supports the
monograph series Publications in Climatology, now in its sixtieth
year.
From the outset, one of the main themes of research in the
Center has focused around the role of water in climatology -
hydroclimatology. The work of John R. Mather, and the legacy of
C.W. Thornthwaite begun at the C.W. Thornthwaite Associates’
Laboratory of Climatology, initially set the stage for Center-directed
research. The emphasis in water in its many and varied forms
remains dominant, with research on precipitation (global, arctic,
tropical, and remote sensing methods), atmospheric processes (vapor
transport, atmospheric modeling), the cryosphere (glaciers,
permafrost, sea ice, snow cover, and snowfall), vegetation and land
surface impacts (pest infestation, stemflow, and hydrologic
modeling), and water policy. However, the Center’s work and focus
is not exclusively limited to hydroclimatology, as is evidenced, for
example, by research on climate-related health issues, atmospheric
modeling and transport, and topoclimatic research.
For more information, please see
www.udel.edu/Geography/CCR.
CENTER FOR COMMUNITY RESEARCH & SERVICE (CCRS)
The Center for Community Research & Service (CCRS), part of
the College of Human Services, Education and Public Policy,
provides education, usable knowledge, training, and services to help
organizations and communities promote social and economic justice.
CCRS is an integral part of the education of undergraduate and
graduate students in the College, especially the students in the School
of Urban Affairs and Public Policy. Students assigned to the Center
either work directly with faculty and staff in conducting research and
providing training and services or are placed working in community
and/or nonprofit agencies.
CCRS conducts applied research and evaluation projects in a
range of areas, including local and community-based development,
housing and homelessness, poverty and hunger, crime and family
violence, urban and neighborhood planning and governance, media
and communities, family/community relationships, management of
and leadership in nonprofit organizations, organizational strategic
planning and analysis, and the design, implementation and evaluation
of social service programs. Students may also be involved in CCRS
training courses, including the Community Development certificate
course, the Brownfields Redevelopment & Environmental Justice
certificate course, the Nonprofit Management Certificate course and
other workshops and seminars for nonprofit managers and
community leaders. Students can also be involved in CCRS technical
assistance and other services. Some of the Center’s major service
programs are the Nonprofit Resource Library, KIDS
COUNT/FAMILIES COUNT in Delaware, Public Allies Delaware,
and the PACT Family Support Network. For more information,
please see www.udel.edu/ccrs.
CENTER FOR COMPOSITE MATERIALS (CCM)
Founded in 1974, the UD Center for Composite Materials (UD-CCM)
is an internationally recognized, interdisciplinary research
center of excellence with a three-fold mission.
EDUCATE SCIENTISTS AND ENGINEERS
More than 100 graduate and undergraduate students and more
than 250 researchers and staff members working at UD-CCM are
currently affiliated with the College of Engineering and the Lerner
College of Business and Economics, as well as the Departments of
Physics and Astronomy, and Chemistry and Biochemistry in the
College of Arts and Sciences. Students at all levels are active
participants in UD-CCM’s interdisciplinary research teams. Students
have the opportunity to interact with visiting students, faculty, and
researchers from industry, government agencies, and universities
throughout the world. In addition to a solid grounding in the
fundamentals, students are exposed to practical insights into real-world
engineering problems. Both graduate and undergraduate
students gain valuable experience in documenting their work in
conference proceedings, journals, and even patents.
UD-CCM has a unique collaboration with the University’s
Undergraduate Research Program that promotes cross-disciplinary
education. Students may participate through the University’s Science
and Engineering Scholars Program, CCM’s summer internship
programs, CCM Senior Research Fellowships, or employment as an
Undergraduate Research Assistant during the academic year. More
than 2,000 alumni have been associated with UD-CCM and many are
now teaching at more than 30 universities worldwide.
While UD-CCM plays an active role in education, degrees are
earned through the academic programs of the various affiliated
colleges, not through UD-CCM. Students should consult the
departments in which they are interested for information on degree
programs and application requirements.
CONDUCT BASIC AND APPLIED RESEARCH
Since 1986, UD-CCM has been host to six National Science
Foundation/Department of Defense Centers of Excellence. Two Army
Research Laboratory programs and an Office of Naval Research
program are currently active Centers of Excellence. Supporters
include a variety of national and international companies, federal
agencies, and the State of Delaware.
In addition to its traditional core competencies in materials and
synthesis, mechanics and design, processing science, and durability,
UD-CCM’s current emphasis is on new research into multifunctional
composite materials that provide superior mechanical properties,
energy absorption, fire resistance, electro-optical properties for
communications, health monitoring, prognositics and bio-inspired
self-repair.
DEVELOP AND TRANSITION TECHNOLOGY TO THE COMPOSITES COMMUNITY
CCM’s 34,000-square-foot Composites Manufacturing Science
Laboratory houses state-of-the-art laboratories for polymer synthesis,
chemical and thermal analysis, materials characterization from nano-scale
to full-scale composite structures, processing, nondestructive
inspection, and computational facilities. The lab provides
opportunities for interdisciplinary research teams to create workcells
that combine simulations, sensors, and controls of existing processes
as well as the creation of new ones. An additional 10,000 square feet
are available in our off-site Application and Technology Transfer
Laboratory.
UD-CCM’s Industrial Consortium, long a UD - CCM hallmark,
is a group of some 60 companies supporting UD-CCM’s effort in
transferring composites science and technology to the private and
public sectors. Small, medium and large companies benefit from new
ideas and new technologies. These sa
The University also hosts scholarly and professional
organizations such as the American Philosophical Association, the
Mid-Atlantic Association of Museums, and the Urban Affairs
Association.
AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION
The Experiment Station serves as the research arm for the
College of Agriculture and Natural Resources. Projects, both
fundamental and applied, address many aspects of agriculture and life
science, including biotechnology, production agriculture, wildlife
conservation, land use, and natural resource management.
Experiment station research contributes to increased and efficient
production, improved marketing of agricultural products, and
preservation of our natural environment. A majority of the professors
in the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources have
appointments in the station.
Students find many opportunities to work on independent study
projects that introduce them to biological, economic, and engineering
technology research in the agricultural and related disciplines.
AVIAN BIOSCIENCES CENTER
The Avian Biosciences Center is a multi-disciplinary unit housed
within the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources. The
Center’s programs are focused on protecting poultry health by
developing strategies for disease surveillance, diagnosis, and control;
applying knowledge from avian genomics to diagnose and control
poultry diseases and improve the efficiency of poultry production;
developing innovative approaches to ensure poultry production is
compatible with our environment; and integrating advances in food
science into innovative technologies that ensure the safety of poultry
products. For more information, visit the Center’s website at
http://ag.udel.edu/abc/index.html
or contact the director, Dr. Jack Gelb at jgelb@udel.edu.
BARTOL RESEARCH INSTITUTE
The Bartol Research Institute is a research center within the
Department of Physics and Astronomy. The primary function of the
Institute is to carry out forefront scientific research, with a primary
focus in physics, astronomy and space sciences.
Research areas in which Bartol is especially active include
cosmic rays, the interplanetary medium, planetary magnetic fields,
condensed matter physics, stellar physics, nuclear theory, elementary
particle theory, particle astrophysics and cosmology. In addition to its
laboratories on the Newark campus of the University, Bartol operates
experimental facilities in Antarctica, Greenland and northern Canada.
For more information, please see www.bartol.udel.edu.
CENTER FOR APPLIED COASTAL RESEARCH
Established in 1989 within the Department of Civil and
Environmental Engineering, the Center for Applied Coastal Research
offers one of the nation’s foremost graduate programs in coastal and
ocean engineering, leading to both master’s and doctorate degrees. To
achieve its mission to maintain an intercollege national center for
research in coastal and nearshore problems, the center provides state-of-
the-art research equipment and prompt technology transfer of
knowledge to industry and government. Center participants provide a
wide range of expertise and include members of the Civil and
Environmental Engineering faculty, as well as individuals from the
Physical Ocean Science and Engineering Program, College of Marine
and Earth Studies.
For more information, please see www.coastal.udel.edu.
CENTER FOR APPLIED DEMOGRAPHY AND SURVEY RESEARCH (CADSR)
The Center for Applied Demography and Survey Research
(CADSR), part of the College of Human Services, Education, and
Public Policy, functions in three basic ways:
- as a subcontractor to University faculty and professional staff
members who hold research contracts;
- as a prime contractor to other units of the University, to
federal, state, and local government agencies, and to private
firms; and
- as an archive of numerous local and national databases.
CADSR’s substantive areas of expertise include demography,
health, transportation, economic impact, and geographic information
systems.
CADSR is organized to provide the following types of services:
(1) sample and questionnaire design, (2) data collection and survey
management, (3) coding, editing, and data entry, (4) CATI and web
surveys and, (5) archive and dissemination. Together these services
form a complete package that can be offered in part or as a whole to
the client. For more information, please see www.cadsr.udel.edu.
CENTER FOR APPLIED SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING IN REHABILITATION (ASEL)
The Center for Applied Science and Engineering in
Rehabilitation is an internationally recognized interdisciplinary center
comprising laboratories devoted to activities linking science,
technology, and disability. The center conducts basic and applied
research leading to the development of technologies for people with
disabilities, evaluates the effectiveness of tools and techniques in
increasing functional abilities, fosters innovation in effective use of
and promotes access to technology applications for persons with
disabilities, and disseminates outcomes stemming from center
activities. Current research projects investigate: 1) new
communication devices that employ artificial intelligence and natural
language processing; 2) alternative representations of language (e.g.,
graphics and animation); 3) new speech interfaces for
communication; 4) computer tutoring systems for speech and writing;
5) biomechanical devices for restoring/augmenting motor function.
The Center also houses the Delaware Assistive Technology Initiative
(DATI), which addresses the availability and effective use of assistive
technologies. DATI projects include the operation of Assistive
Technology Resource Centers in each of Delaware’s counties, policy
initiatives aimed at improving access to and funding for devices and
services, and training and technical assistance efforts promoting
technology use at home, in school, at work, and in the community.
Outcomes of Center activities are disseminated through publications,
a website, meetings, and targeted technical assistance at the local,
state, national, and international levels.
For more information, please see www.asel.udel.edu.
CENTER FOR ARCHAEOLOGICAL RESEARCH
The Center for Archaeological Research is part of the
Department of Anthropology in the College of Arts and Sciences.
With its focus on the prehistoric and historic archaeology of the
Middle Atlantic states of Delaware, Maryland, Virginia,
Pennsylvania, and New Jersey, the center provides opportunities for
undergraduate and graduate students to participate in archaeological
fieldwork and laboratory analysis through field schools and
sponsored research programs. Research activities of the center have
been sponsored by a number of state and federal agencies. Current
sites under study range from a 10,000-year-old Paleo-Indian hunting
camp in Southern Delaware to a 3,000-year-old Woodland period
hamlet in central Delaware, to a mid-17th century plantation on the
Eastern Shore of Maryland, to mid-19th century tenant farms in
Northern Delaware. Opportunities for multi-disciplinary research are
available and include applications of remote sensing in archaeology
(Center for Remote Sensing) and paleoenvironmental studies
(Department of Geological Sciences).
For more information, please e-mail jcuster@udel.edu.
CENTER FOR BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING RESEARCH (CBER)
The Center for Biomedical Engineering Research is an
interdisciplinary center whose mission is to provide engineering
science and clinical technology to reduce the impact of disease on the
everyday life of individuals. It was created to provide an appropriate
forum and infrastructure to promote the interaction of researchers
from the university and the medical community. As such, it serves as
a research umbrella under which researchers from a variety of fields
can work together and interact. CBER builds on a history of
interaction between the Department of Mechanical Engineering, the
Department of Physical Therapy, the Department of Health,
Nutrition, and Exercise Sciences and several local clinical facilities
such as the A.I. duPont Institute. Through the Department of
Mechanical Engineering, CBER researchers have access to an array
of computer hardware and software, a variety of mechanical testing
equipment, a complete machine shop, as well as biomechanics
laboratories for tissue engineering, motion analysis, and
electromyography. The Sports Science Laboratory in the Department
of Health, Nutrition, and Exercise Sciences houses a state-of-the-art
motion analysis facility complete with 12 high-speed cameras, 2
multi-axis force plates, an EMG telemetry unit, and a variety of
computer and ancillary equipment. The Motion Analysis Laboratory
in the Physical Therapy Deme companies seek to employ
the next-generation of engineering graduates.
To arrange an interview or request a copy of the CCM annual
report, which includes history, additional program information, a list
of laboratory resources, and posters of more than 120 ongoing
projects, please visit CCM on campus at the corner of Delaware and
Academy Streets, on-line at www.ccm.udel.edu,
or contact CCM at info@ccm.udel.edu, or (302) 831-8149.
CENTER FOR CRITICAL ZONE RESEARCH
The Center for Critical Zone Research is a University-wide
Center dedicated to the understanding of interfacial biological,
chemical, and physical processes in the Critical Zone (from ground
water aquifers to the lower atmosphere) with an emphasis on
molecular environmental science, genomics, nano-technology, and
environmental policy. For more information, visit the Center’s
website at http://cczr.dbi.udel.edu
or contact the director, Dr. Don Sparks at dlsparks@udel.edu.
CENTER FOR DISABILITIES STUDIES (CDS)
The Center for Disabilities Studies (CDS), part of the College of
Human Services, Education and Public Policy, focuses on improving
the quality, quantity, and range of public and private services and
supports available in Delaware for individuals with disabilities and
their families. Through research, training, advocacy, and service
activities, CDS increases the capacity of individuals, agencies, and
organizations to provide quality services; promotes systemic
improvements in policy and service delivery; and builds collaborative
relationships with other organizations that enable people with
disabilities to achieve their personal goals of greater independence,
productivity and participation in their communities.
Working with faculty from many disciplines, CDS supports an
18-credit undergraduate minor in disabilities studies and a graduate
level certificate course offered during the summer. CDS also offers
opportunities for both undergraduate and graduate students to work
with faculty and staff on service and research projects. For more
information, please see www.udel.edu/cds.
CENTER FOR DRUG AND ALCOHOL STUDIES (CDAS)
The Center for Drug and Alcohol Studies (CDAS) was
established at the University of Delaware in 1991 to facilitate
collaborative research and publishing among social and behavioral
science faculty, professional staff, and students in the field of
substance abuse. Administered by the University’s Department of
Sociology and Criminal Justice, the center is funded primarily
through sponsored research grants and contracts.
The principal mission of CDAS is the production, dissemination,
and utilization of scientific knowledge in three broad areas:
- the etiology, patterns and consequences, and prevention and
treatment of drug and alcohol abuse;
- the epidemiology of HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted
diseases, and the prevention of HIV disease among high-risk
populations; and
- prescription drug abuse and its consequences.
Other CDAS objectives include:
- training graduate and undergraduate students in substance
abuse research and associated quantitative and qualitative
methods;
- serving as a substance abuse research information repository
for students and colleagues seeking statistical and
ethnographic data for secondary analysis;
- providing technical assistance to colleagues and local agency
personnel seeking federal grant support for prevention and
treatment programs; and
- sponsoring lecture and colloquia series, workshops, and
conferences for members of the University community, the
substance abuse and AIDS fields, and the public at large.
In fall 2002, CDAS became one of eight research centers
nationally that will be leading research on treating substance abusers
within the criminal justice system. Other ongoing studies include
youth substance abuse in Delaware and the nation, studies of drug
court and parole clients, and long term panel studies of treatment
clients. Locally, CDAS has offices in Newark and Wilmington.
CDAS also has major AIDS prevention initiatives in Florida, Latin
America, and the Caribbean. With three offices in the Miami area
and a center in Porto Alegre, Brazil, the focus of these initiatives is
the development and evaluation of culturally specific HIV prevention
programs for hard-to-reach and under-served populations.
CENTER FOR ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY (CEEP)
The Center for Energy and Environmental Policy (CEEP), part
of the College of Human Services, Education and Public Policy
(CHEP), conducts interdisciplinary research and supports graduate
study on the interlocking issues of energy, environment and
development. Work in CEEP is guided by theories of political
economy and technology, environment and society. Research
programs currently organized in CEEP include sustainable
development, environmental justice, global environmental change,
energy efficiency and renewable energy applications, water
conservation and management, and comparative energy and
environmental policy.
With the support of CHEP and the Colleges of Agriculture and
Natural Resources, Arts and Sciences, Engineering and Marine and
Earth Studies, CEEP administers the interdisciplinary graduate
program in Energy and Environmental Policy (ENEP). This unique
program offers Master’s and Ph.D. degrees that combine study in the
social sciences, engineering and the natural sciences to address core
problems in energy-environment-society relations.
CEEP is composed of an internationally diverse faculty,
professional staff, and graduate student body with backgrounds in a
variety of disciplines including political science, economics,
geography, philosophy, environmental studies, and engineering. In
conjunction with its research program, seven Center faculty and two
research staff work closely with approximately seventy graduate
students, supervising internships, theses, and dissertations. Graduate
areas of specialization in technology, environment and society,
energy sustainability, water sustainability, environmental justice,
sustainable development, and global dimensions of energy and
environmental policy are supported at the master’s and doctoral
levels.
CEEP faculty and staff have editorial responsibility for an
annual book series entitled Energy and Environmental Policy, are
contributing authors to the UN-sponsored Intergovernmental Panel
on Climate Change, and serve as advisors to such organizations as the
Chinese State Environmental Protection Agency, the Environmental
Forum of the National Assembly of South Korea, the India
Renewable Energy Development Agency, and the U.S. National
Renewable Energy Laboratory. CEEP also provides technical
assistance to international, federal, state and local institutions. CEEP
has over thirty signed research and exchange agreements with
European, Latin American, African, and Asian universities and
research institutes.
For more information, please see http://ceep.udel.edu/.
CENTER FOR HISTORIC ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN (CHAD)
The Center for Historic Architecture and Design (CHAD), part
of the College of Human Services, Education, and Public Policy,
addresses issues related to historic preservation through an integrated,
interdisciplinary program of research and public service focusing on
historic architecture and landscapes; design issues of the built
environment and material culture; documentation of historic
properties and computer applications to documentation; research on
the physical properties of cultural and historic materials; historic
preservation planning and policy at national, state, and local levels;
and advocacy for historic resources. CHAD supports graduate study
in historic preservation at both the master’s and doctoral levels
through the School of Urban Affairs and Public Policy and in
conjunction with other co-sponsoring departments and programs.
CHAD is affiliated with the Laboratory for the Analysis of Cultural
and Historic Materials and is a co-sponsor of the Historic Costume
Collection managed by the Department of Consumer Studies.
CHAD also maintains an extensive collection of research and
documentary materials for more than 1,000 historic sites and
structures in the Mid-Atlantic region. The collection includes
measured drawings, photographs, and narrative histories, as well as
resources for buildings research and a study collection of
architectural materials. The collection is open for research and
reference to students, the preservation community, and the general
public.
With its administrative home in the College of Human Service,
Education and Public Policy (CHEP), CHAD is academically
affiliated with the School of Urban Affairs and Public Policy, and co-sponsored
by the departments of Consumer Studies, Art
Conservation, Art History, Geography, and History as well as the
Program in Museum Studies and the Winterthur Program in Early
American Studies in the College of Arts and Sciences. CHAD is a
founding member of the Center for Material Culture Studies which
promotes the dynamic collaboration of individuals, programs, and
departments engaged in the documentation, interpretation, and
preservation of the objects and images that have shaped American
life.
CENTER FOR INNOVATIVE BRIDGE ENGINEERING (CIBRE)
The Center for Innovative Bridge Engineering was established at
the University of Delaware in 2000 to serve as a resource for the
world’s highway and railroad bridge community through education,
research, and technology transfer. The Center helps to educate
outstanding bridge engineers for careers in industry, government, and
academia; organizes multidisciplinary research teams to address
bridge infrastructure renewal; and transfers technology to bridge
owners through papers, reports, workshops, seminars, and lab
demonstrations. CIBrE research covers a broad range of topics,
including design and analysis, advanced materials, health monitoring,
advanced sensors, bridge management, hydraulics and scour,
geotechnical engineering, and bridge security. For more information,
contact Director Dennis Mertz, 302-831-2735 or mertz@udel.edu, or
visit the Center’s web site at www.ce.udel.edu/cibre.
CENTER FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDIES (CFIS)
The Center for International Studies is the principal
administrative unit dedicated to the internationalization of the
University of Delaware community. CFIS promotes and supports
faculty and staff participation in international teaching, research,
service, grant development, and other professional activities. The
Center promotes and supports student involvement in international
issues by developing and managing university study abroad
programs, sponsoring numerous speakers and lectures on
international issues and themes, and working with academic units to
further international education on campus. The Center also provides
academic units with direct support in the development of institutional
agreements to help develop international linkages and collaborative
activities. It seeks to advance a broad international agenda in all
aspects of university life, exemplified by the University’s America
and the Global Community initiative. Some of the Center’s ongoing
activities include:
- 65 study abroad programs to over 30 countries annually,
with 1400+ UD students participating;
- Undergraduate and graduate exchange programs with
numerous institutions overseas;
- The International Travel Award program (supporting faculty
travel to international conferences);
- The International Research Award program
(supporting faculty research of an international nature);
- The America and the Global Community speakers series;
- Managing ongoing grants from multiple funding agencies;
- Conducting ongoing research regarding the status and scope
of international activities at the University of Delaware; and
- Working with academic departments and colleges to increase
the number of curricular offerings with international content
and to expand study abroad opportunities.
As a service to the State of Delaware and the local community,
the Center also works closely with local public and civic
organizations, as well as the private sector, to help nurture a
community of citizens that is aware of, and responsive to, the
opportunities and challenges of today’s interdependent world.
For more information, please contact Dr. Lesa Griffiths,
Director, CFIS, at (302) 831-2852, or visit the CFIS website at
www.udel.edu/international.
CENTER FOR MANAGED ECOSYSTEMS
The mission of the Center for Managed Ecosystems is to
improve the ability of urban, suburban, and agricultural landscapes to
support the plants, animals, and physical conditions essential to the
long-term productivity of the ecosystems on which humans depend.
We do this because recent research has shown that human land-use in
the U.S. has fragmented and degraded ecosystems in ways that
threaten most of our plant and animal species with extinction. If this
process is allowed to proceed unchecked, the impact on the
productivity and stability of the ecosystems that sustain us will be
compromised. Current landscaping paradigms needlessly exclude
biodiversity from agricultural and urban/suburban landscapes.
Redesigning human-dominated ecosystems to increase the carrying
capacity for biodiversity, and thus increase ecosystem productivity
and sustainability, without conflict with humans, is the central goal of
the Center for Managed ecosystems. For more information, visit the
Center’s website at http://ag.udel.edu/enwc/cme/ or contact the
director, Dr. Doug Tallamy at dtallamy@udel.edu
CENTER FOR MATERIAL CULTURE STUDIES (CMCS)
The Center for Material Culture Studies (CMCS) builds on the
University of Delaware’s distinguished international reputation in the
interdisciplinary study of American material and visual culture. The
Center for Material Culture Studies promotes learning from and
teaching about all the objects and images people make and the ways
people act upon the physical and visible world. Through the Center,
students and teachers examine material objects as living artifacts, as
texts and contexts, to better imagine, interpret, and appreciate the
world we inhabit; experience American material and visual culture in
a dynamic learning, teaching, research, and public service
environment; participate in seminars, field-based research ventures
with institutional partners and state, regional, and national
organizations; and contribute to the national effort in documentation,
interpretation, preservation, and teaching of American material and
visual culture. The Center coordinates an interdisciplinary minor and
internships for undergraduates, sponsors an annual interdisciplinary
graduate student symposium, provides competitive graduate student
research assistantships, and delivers signature courses in material
culture, design history, and visual culture. The Center’s programs
engage its University partners ranging from the humanities to the
performing and studio arts as well as the larger public and scholarly
community.
CENTER FOR MOLECULAR AND ENGINEERING THERMODYNAMICS (CMET)
Thermodynamics is at the very center of chemical engineering
practice. The Center for Molecular and Engineering
Thermodynamics, CMET, a research unit within the Department of
Chemical Engineering with Center faculty and students also in the
physics, chemistry and biochemistry departments, serves as a focal
point stimulating collaborative experimental and theoretical research
and encouraging the development of new educational materials,
textbooks, monographs, and regular and short courses, in all areas of
thermodynamics, and also maintains state-of-the-art thermodynamics
laboratories.
Research at the Center is conducted by the faculty, their
undergraduate and graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and
visiting scientists. Students are deeply involved in the Center
research, which is being carried out with the support of industrial and
governmental grants and contracts. Current projects involve studies
of applied and statistical thermodynamics, quantum and
computational chemistry including the use of supercomputers and
clusters of parallel computers, the measurement of vapor-liquid
equilibrium, environmental thermodynamics, the thermodynamic
properties of polymeric materials and proteins, structure and phase
behavior of complex fluids, surfactants and colloid science, transport
phenomena, and thermodynamic properties of biological compounds.
Of special interest are applications to the purification of
pharmaceuticals and other biological materials. New initiatives of the
Center include developing methods for the characterization and
crystallization of proteins, and the use of nanoporous materials for
the purification of gases.
The Center’s laboratory facilities provide students access to and
training in the operation of modern equipment including
supercomputers, surface forces apparatus, laser light, x-ray and
neutron scattering, various spectroscopic techniques, and a wide
variety of equipment for the measurement of phase equilibria and
physical properties.
Other activities of the Center include cooperative research
projects with scientists and engineers in industry and government
laboratories.
Through their involvement in research for their thesis projects,
graduate students associated with the Center for Molecular and
Engineering Thermodynamics earn either a Master’s or Ph.D. degree
in chemical engineering, chemistry or physics.
For more information, please see www.che.udel.edu/cmet.
CENTER FOR PUBLIC HORTICULTURE
The Center for Public Horticulture is based within the College of
Agriculture and Natural Resources and links the resources and
expertise of UD faculty with public horticultural professionals and
public gardens nationwide. Through this partnership, the Center’s
vision is to develop educational programs for undergraduates,
graduate students, and existing professionals in the field, as well as
produce and disseminate original, interdisciplinary research that will
forge new partnerships, enhance the skills of industry leaders, and set
the standard for public horticulture practices of the future.
For more information, visit the Center’s website at
http://www.publichorticulture.udel.edu or contact the director, Dr.
Robert Lyons at rlyons@udel.edu.
CENTER FOR REMOTE SENSING
The Center for Remote Sensing serves as a focal point for basic
and applied research on remote sensing of the physical and biological
properties of the oceans and the coastal zone. The Center specializes
in interdisciplinary research and training, with emphasis on coastal
processes, marine resources, and ocean-atmosphere coupling. Ships,
aircraft, and satellites equipped with multispectral, infrared, and
microwave sensors are used for gathering data. Advanced computer
systems are employed to analyze and enhance the satellite imagery.
In addition to course work, graduate students write theses or
dissertations on satellite oceanography, global climate change, local
impact of sea-level rise, optical physics of coastal waters, wetland
productivity and health, pollutant drift and dispersion, and application
of remote sensing and GIS to coastal resource management. This
research is supported by federal and state agencies as well as
commercial firms and private foundations. The Center has conducted
coastal and ocean studies in various parts of the world and has
provided training to more than 300 scientists and students from the
U.S. and 23 foreign countries. For more details, call Dr. X.H. Yan,
Co-Director, at (302) 831-3694.
CENTER FOR TEACHING EFFECTIVENESS (CTE)
The Center for Teaching Effectiveness (CTE) promotes the
enhancement of learning and teaching at the University. CTE is a
University-wide unit that supports faculty, administrators, and staff in
their instructional activities including the General Education
Initiative. Specifically, the Center provides instructional services to
help all members of UD’s teaching community in the ongoing
improvement of the teaching and learning process. The Center’s
services reflect the multiple ways in which teaching and learning can
be enhanced. They include instructional consultations, classroom
observations, assistance in developing measures for assessment of
instructional and curricular innovation, and support for the
implementation of instructional projects. CTE organizes an annual
conference for first-time graduate teaching assistants (TAs), directs
the Higher Education Teaching Certification program; coordinates
teaching conferences, workshop sessions and colloquia; publishes
and disseminates materials on instructional practices; serves as a
liaison with University committees, task forces, and units involved in
instructional support; and co-sponsors an annual grant program for
instructional improvement.
CTE is part of the Office of Undergraduate Studies and is
housed in Gore Hall. CTE staff are involved in presenting and
publishing research in their academic fields. They also serve on
committees and task forces both in their professional organizations
and at UD. Further information is available at http://cte.udel.edu.
COOPERATIVE EXTENSION SYSTEM
Delaware Cooperative Extension System is part of a nationwide
system whose mission is to connect the public with university
knowledge, research and resources to address youth, family,
community, and agricultural needs. In so doing, Cooperative
Extension enables people to improve their lives and communities by
developing learning partnerships that put knowledge to work.
Cooperative Extension serves as an educational resource to the
people of Delaware for extending research results and advances in
technology and is administered through the College of Agriculture
and Natural Resources.
A major thrust of the Cooperative Extension system is to target
programs to address critical issues. The accelerating expansion of
technology, the deteriorating situation in portions of the agricultural
sector, and the dynamic social conditions faced by many Americans,
rural and metropolitan, require Extension to reassess priorities and
continuously adapt programs and activities to meet needs.
Undergraduate students have opportunities to apply for
Extension’s summer intern program and thereby be designated as an
Extension Scholar. As an Extension Scholar, students gain practical
experience in dealing with and in providing information to the public
on a wide variety of areas including agriculture,
community/economic development, family and consumer sciences,
food and nutrition, 4-H youth development, horticulture and water
and soil quality. For more information, please go to
http://ag.udel.edu/extension.
DELAWARE BIOTECHNOLOGY INSTITUTE (DBI)
The Delaware Biotechnology Institute is a multidisciplinary
academic unit of the University devoted to the discovery and
application of new interdisciplinary knowledge in the life sciences
and biotechnology. The Institute also provides support and
leadership for statewide partnerships that involve the institutions of
higher education, state government, industry and the medical
community.
The Institute’s faculty and staff are engaged in research in
biology, chemistry/biochemistry, engineering, computer science,
plant and animal science, environmental science and materials
science with applications in agriculture, human health, complex
environmental systems and biomaterials.
In education, the Institute helps provide graduate and
undergraduate students with research experience and access to high-quality,
professionally-managed research instrumentation. The
Institute also collaborates in developing new interdisciplinary
research experiences and life science education programs at the
graduate and undergraduate levels. DBI serves as a bridge linking
academia and the public and private sectors to facilitate internships
for students.
In the application of new knowledge, the Institute acts as a focal
point for science and technology-based economic development,
supporting and attracting new life science enterprises thereby creating
new high quality jobs.
For more information, please go to www.dbi.udel.edu.
DELAWARE CENTER FOR TEACHER EDUCATION (DCTE)
The Delaware Center for Teacher Education (DCTE), part of the
College of Human Services, Education and Public Policy, strengthens
both pre-service and in-service teacher education. It works to
improve access to the University’s professional education programs
and supports the state’s efforts to enhance teachers’ knowledge and
instructional practices in social studies, special education, reading
and writing through multiple professional development opportunities.
In addition to housing the Education Resource Center (a curriculum
materials library) and the Office of Clinical Studies (responsible for
coordinating all field placements for all teacher education
candidates), the Center houses the following projects and programs:
- Alternative Routes to Teacher Certification, a program to
bring people with bachelor’s degrees in content areas into
teaching in fields where the state is experiencing teacher
shortages (e.g., mathematics, science, music);
- AmericaReads, a program to provide University students with
the knowledge and tools to provide Delaware K-3 students
with tutoring support in reading;
- ASPIRE, a program to recruit and retain teacher education
candidates from underrepresented groups (e.g., males in early
childhood education, persons from minority groups, first-year
college attendees);
- Delaware Early Reading First Project, a project to enhance
Head Start teachers’ knowledge and instructional practices in
language and early reading;
- Delaware Mentoring Council, with support from the
AmeriCorp/VISTA program, a project which provides
resources, support, and advocates for youth mentoring
programs state-wide, in schools and community settings with
the goal of a mentor for every child who needs one;
- Delaware Reading and Writing Project, a project to enhance
Delaware K-12 teachers’ knowledge and instructional
practices in the teaching of reading and writing in ways
consistent with the Delaware English language arts standards
through summer institutes, partnerships with Delaware
schools, clusters, and workshops;
- Delaware Social Studies Education Project, a project to
enhance Delaware K-12 teachers’ knowledge and
instructional practices in the teaching of social studies and to
support the coordination of the teaching of social studies in
Delaware’s public schools;
- GEAR UP, a federally-funded project to support low-income
students’ awareness of higher education opportunities and
provide them with academic support to ensure their readiness
for these opportunities;
- Teacher Quality Enhancement, a project to build special
education teachers’ content knowledge so that they meet the
federal government’s ‘highly qualified’ status requirements;
- Teaching American History, two projects in cooperation with
Delaware school districts to enhance teachers’ knowledge of
American history and of instructional practices consistent
with the history standards within the Delaware social studies
standards; and
- School Library Media Program, coordinated through the
Education Resource Center, a program designed for certified
teachers to receive either (1) a Master of Instruction with a
Concentration in Library Media or (2) for those who already
have a master’s degree, certification as a school librarian
through a graduate-level course of study.
For additional information about DCTE and these projects, call
(302) 831-3000 or visit the Website at www.udel.edu/dcte.
DELAWARE CENTER FOR TRANSPORTATION (DCT)
The Delaware Center for Transportation (DCT), part of the
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, is a joint
venture between the University of Delaware and the Delaware
Department of Transportation (DelDOT) that provides a universitywide
multidisciplinary program of transportation-related research and
educational and instructional activities. DCT identifies research
opportunities with DelDOT and others. The mission of DCT is to
improve the movement of people, goods and ideas within, to, and
through the State of Delaware, the mid-Atlantic region, the nation,
and the world through research, development, and education.
DELAWARE EDUCATION RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT CENTER
The Delaware Education Research & Development Center, part
of the College of Human Services, Education and Public Policy,
provides research services and support to assist educators in policy
analysis and program evaluation. The R&D Center’s primary mission
is to inform thinking and action in Delaware education through
conduct and dissemination of both local and national educational
research. To this end, the R&D Center provides information about the
condition of educational systems in the state and research support to
further educational reform. For further information, e-mail udrdc@
udel.edu, call (302) 831-4433 or see www.rdc.udel.edu.
DELAWARE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY
The Delaware Geological Survey was established by an Act of
the General Assembly in 1951 and is organized as a unit of the
University. This arrangement reflects both the research orientation of
the Survey and the need for practical applications of geology
throughout the state. The Survey is charged with the systematic
investigation of the geology, mineral, and water resources of
Delaware and with the advisement of state and local agencies,
municipalities, industries, and individuals concerning these matters.
In fulfillment of this charge it conducts a program of geologic
research, exploration, and service. The Survey’s staff, under the
direction of the State Geologist, is appointed by the University.
Survey programs are coordinated with a number of state
agencies, and the Survey serves, by statute, as the state’s cooperator
with such federal units as the U.S. Geological Survey, Minerals
Management Service, and the Delaware River Master. Liaison and
counsel are provided to other appropriate governmental and technical
units through various appointments held by the State Geologist and
other members of the scientific staff. The new Delaware Geological
Survey Building was completed in 1989. Because of the proximity of
the DGS to Geological Sciences in Penny Hall, students may benefit
from association with Survey geologists and their research projects.
The Survey has formal internship programs in geology and hydrology
with Geological Sciences and the Water Resources Center that
provide opportunities for students to conduct research and obtain
practical experience while working with Survey Scientists. In
addition, several survey scientists hold secondary appointments in
Geological Sciences, participate in teaching programs, and serve on
graduate student committees.
The research results of the Delaware Geological Survey are
published as Bulletins, Reports of Investigations, Geologic and
Hydrologic Maps, Atlas and Miscellaneous Map Series, Special
Publications, Open File Reports, Digital Data Products, and journal
articles. Well records, sample library, and other data collections are
additional resources available to the scientific community and the
general public at the Delaware Geological Survey Building. Many
publications are available on the web. For further information,
contact the Survey at (302) 831-2833, by email at
delgeosurvey@udel.edu, or on the web at www.udel.edu/dgs.
DELAWARE SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTER NETWORK
The Delaware Small Business Development Center (DSBDC)
Network is a statewide small business assistance agency
headquartered at the University of Delaware in the Alfred Lerner
College of Business and Economics. The DSBDC is the primary
small business assistance agency for the state of Delaware. The
mission of DSBDC is to strengthen Delaware’s economic base by
providing quality support services, such as free one-on-one
confidential business advice, training and educational programs,
information and research. Additionally, DSBDC offers specialized
assistance in helping businesses sell their goods and services to
federal, state, and local governments, as well as funding and
management assistance for technology-based businesses.
The Small Business Act of 1980 authorized the creation of an
SBDC program in every state and territory of the United States, and
the DSBDC is part of a national network of over 1,200 centers. In
Delaware, there are service centers conveniently located in each of
the three counties. The program is a partnership with the University
of Delaware’s Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics, the
U.S. Small Business Administration, and the Delaware Economic
Development Office. For further information visit
www.delawaresbdc.org or call 302-831-1555.
DELAWARE WATER RESOURCES CENTER
The Delaware Water Resources Center (DWRC), established in
1965, is part of a network of 54 Water Resources Research Institutes
throughout the nation. The U.S. Geological Survey provides
oversight of the nation’s Water Resources Centers through the
National Institute of Water Resources.
The DWRC has three goals: to support research that will provide
solutions to Delaware’s priority water problems; to promote the
training and education of future water scientists, engineers, and
policy makers; and to disseminate research results to water managers
and the public.
Faculty in agriculture, engineering, marine and earth studies,
and the physical and social sciences conduct research on water
supply, water quality control and management, and water resources
planning. Grants are awarded to faculty on a competitive basis each
year to support undergraduate internships and graduate student
assistantships. A national competitive grants research program is also
available. For more information, please see http://ag.udel.edu/dwrc/
or contact the director of the DWRC, Dr. Tom Sims,
jtsims@udel.edu.
DISASTER RESEARCH CENTER (DRC)
The Disaster Research Center (DRC) is an academic unit in the
College of Arts and Sciences. The center was established at Ohio
State University in 1963, was moved to the University of Delaware in
1985, and was elevated to a College Center in 2006. DRC is
recognized as the first Research Center in the world devoted to the
social scientific study of disasters. The Center conducts research on
group, organizational, and community preparedness for, response to,
mitigation of, and recovery from natural and technological disasters
and other community-wide crises. Our findings are geared towards
creating both academic and practical knowledge development in the
field of disasters. Researchers at DRC have conducted nearly 600
field studies since the Center’s inception, traveling to communities
throughout the United States and to a number of foreign countries in
order to carry out systematic studies on a broad range of disaster
types. Among other hazards, we have examined the societal impacts
of hurricanes, floods, earthquakes, tsunamis, tornadoes, hazardous
chemical incidents, plane crashes, and civil disturbances.
Although its main focus has been on disasters and other
community crises in the United States, DRC personnel have
frequently worked closely with members of the international hazards
research community. DRC maintains ongoing contact with
researchers throughout the United States, Asia, Europe, Mexico,
Japan, and Australia, some of whom have been visiting research
associates at the Center for periods of up to a year. In recent years,
DRC has also organized several multinational research conferences
focusing on disaster issues in Central America, Southern Asia,
Europe, Japan, Russia and the former Soviet Union.
Graduate and undergraduate training are also integral
components of DRC’s mission. DRC graduate students work closely
with faculty on all facets of funded research projects from grant
writing to final reports. Many students have the opportunity to author
or co-author publications in scholarly journals on topics related to
these research projects and to use DRC data for their masters theses
and doctoral dissertations. Our graduates are well respected in the
field and have gone on to work in a number of related institutions
including: higher education, government agencies, NGOs, and as
private sector consultants. DRC undergraduates are also integrated
into research projects. With mentoring from graduate researchers,
these students are exposed to research techniques such as literature
reviews, database creation, qualitative and quantitative analysis, and
professional writing. Undergraduates are expected to actively
contribute to projects. Further, DRC is also a site for the National
Science Foundation’s (NSF) Research Experience for Undergraduates
(REU) program, “Hazards, Disasters, and Society: Training the
Future Generations of Social Science Researchers,” providing 10
undergraduate students each summer with hands-on research training
to enhance their understanding of the social science aspects of
disasters. DRC faculty also support the Emergency and
Environmental Management Concentration for Sociology majors.
In addition to maintaining its own databases on disaster topics,
DRC serves as a repository for materials collected by other agencies
and researchers. DRC's specialized library, which contains the
world's most complete collection on the social and behavioral aspects
of disasters, now numbering more than 50,000 items, is open to
scholars, students, and professionals involved in emergency
management. The Center has its own book, monograph, and report
series with over 400 publications.
For more information about DRC projects, publications, staff or
history, please visit the website at http://www.udel.edu/DRC.
EARLY LEARNING CENTER
The Early Learning Center is a joint project of the Colleges of
Human Services, Education and Public Policy (CHEP), Arts and
Sciences and Health Sciences. The Center opened in June 2004 and
is a state-of-the-art comprehensive early care and education facility.
It offers quality child care and other services for families, including
intervention services; technical assistance and training for community
family-service providers; a laboratory for faculty and student
researchers from several UD colleges; and a hands-on learning site
for graduate and undergraduate students from across the campus.
For more information, please see www.udel.edu/elc.
ENGLISH LANGUAGE INSTITUTE (ELI)
The University of Delaware English Language Institute (ELI) is
an academic unit of the College of Human Services, Education and
Public Policy. The ELI provides English instruction to international
students and business professionals who wish to improve their
language skills for university study or for career enrichment. The
ELI’s intensive daytime program includes four tracks of study:
business, academic, American culture, and general English classes.
ELI services include university and college placement, housing, host
family programs, language partners, and cultural activities.
Special offerings include a legal English program, a Pre-MBA
program, an executive English program, and an EFL teacher training
program. The Institute also provides individual tutoring, computer
assisted learning, a testing preparation course focusing on skills and
strategies for language proficiency sections of such tests as the
TOEFL and the GMAT, and community evening classes. The ELI
manages the ITA program, which provides testing and training for the
University of Delaware International Teaching Assistants. The ELI
administers the University’s Master’s Degree program in Teaching
English as a Second Language. Graduate students in the program
include both Americans seeking certification in Delaware and
international students planning to return home to teach.
The ELI intensive language program is fully accredited by the
Commission on English Program Accreditation, and is ranked among
the top English as a Second Language (ESL) programs in the United
States.
For more information, please see www.udel.edu/eli.
GERARD J. MANGONE CENTER FOR MARINE POLICY
Since 1973, the Center has conducted research on a wide range
of marine and environmental policy issues at international, national,
regional, and local levels. Currently, the research work of the Center
is focusing on six major themes: 1) Integrated coastal and ocean
management around the world; 2) United States national ocean and
coastal policy; 3) implementation of international ocean agreements;
4) marine aquaculture policy; 5) marine biotechnology policy; and 3)
regional marine ecosystem management.
In addition to its active research program, the Center organizes
conferences and publications and serves as the editorial home to the
international journal Ocean & Coastal Management; hosts visiting
scholars; administers educational exchange programs (between the
United States and Europe; among Canada, the United States and
Mexico; between the United States and the Caribbean; and between
the United States and Brazil); provides research opportunities for
graduate students; and provides policy advice to a wide range of
governmental and non-governmental entities, both domestic and
international (examples include the World Bank, the
Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission/UNESCO, the UN
Environment Programme, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration, Canada’s Department of Fisheries and Oceans, the
Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental
Control, among others).
The Center also hosts the International Coastal and Ocean
Organization, the Secretariat for the Global Forum on Oceans,
Coasts, and Islands, which brings together leading ocean experts
from governments, nongovernmental organizations, international
entities, and the private sector, in multistakeholder global dialogues,
policy analyses, and public outreach, aimed at advancing the interests
of oceans (incorporating 72% of the Earth), coasts (the home of 50%
of the world's population), and islands (44 of the world's nations are
small island developing states which are especially dependent on the
oceans).
Facts and Figures (1995-2006)
- Grants: 44 grants totaling over $5 million
- Students and staff supported by the Center: 55
- Students and faculty involved in educational exchange
programs: 150
- Publications: 95
- International Journal Ocean & Coastal Management:
Publishes 12 issues per year
- Conferences organized: 28, including four global conferences
- Internet services: Coverage of global ocean affairs, see
www.globaloceans.org.
For more information, please contact Dr. Biliana Cicin-Sain,
Director, at (302) 831-8086 or visit http://www.ocean.udel.edu/cmp.
HISTORY MEDIA CENTER
The History Media Center is a multimedia resource facility for
the History department created in 1970 with the help of the History
Education Project of the AHA and general University funding. The
Center provides history faculty, graduate students and history
education students with the use of, and instruction in, electronic
media for teaching and research through the creative application of
technology. The Center's resources encompass a number of teaching
collections including slides, maps, transparencies, videos, DVD's,
music CD's, audio cassettes, and educational software. Technical
equipment, such as computers, laptops, data projectors, scanners,
video and audio players, digital and 35 mm cameras, is also available
to produce multimedia lectures.
The Center houses a collection of over 190,000 slides covering
images in American, European, and World history, of which, more
than 12,000 circulate each year. An easy-to-use database lets patrons
search for slides using key words, time period, or geographic
location. History Media Center staff can assist users with the
selection of video programs from over 700 videotapes and DVDs
including academic films, documentaries, international films, special
purpose videos, and feature films.
The Center's staff also provide other services for the history
department including: graphic design and desktop publishing;
photography and digital imagery; computer cataloging of images;
database development and management; assistance with equipment
and media scheduling and maintenance; assistance with WebCT and
Webpage design, coordination of book orders with faculty and the
University Bookstore, and general computer and software technical
assistance.
For more information, please see www.udel.edu/History/hmc.
INSTITUTE FOR PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION (IPA)
The Institute for Public Administration (IPA) is a public service,
education, and research center that links the resource capacities of the
University of Delaware with the complex public policy and
management needs of governments and related nonprofit and private
organizations. IPA provides direct staff assistance, research, policy
analysis, training, and forums while contributing to the scholarly
body of knowledge. Program areas include civic education,
comprehensive planning, conflict resolution, education leadership,
healthcare policy, state and local management, water resources, and
women’s leadership. IPA supports and enhances the educational
experiences of students through the effective integration of applied
research, professional development opportunities, and internships.
More than forty graduate research assistants work for IPA on a
wide range of significant research and public service projects. IPA
also provides research opportunities to undergraduate students
interested in public policy through its Public Service Fellows
Program. In addition, IPA manages the Internship Program for the
School of Urban Affairs & Public Policy. Under this program,
graduate students have completed internships in government,
nonprofit, and private agencies. IPA also manages the Legislative
Fellows Program, which is co-sponsored by the Delaware General
Assembly and the University of Delaware. This program offers
competitively selected graduate students and senior-level
undergraduate students the opportunity to work directly with
legislators in addressing critical issues facing the state. In recent
years, Fellows have conducted nonpartisan, in-depth research on
complex public policy issues as diverse as land-use planning, electric
utility deregulation, credit fraud and identity theft, and education
reform.
IPA’s main office is on the University’s Newark campus in 180
Graham Hall. Dr. Jerome Lewis is the director of IPA. For further
information on IPA or its programs, call (302) 831-8971 or visit the
website: www.ipa.udel.edu.
INSTITUTE FOR TRANSFORMING UNDERGRADUATE EDUCATION (ITUE)
The Institute for Transforming Undergraduate Education (ITUE)
is committed to continuous improvement of undergraduate education
through faculty development and course design. ITUE actively
promotes the development of critical thinking, problem-solving,
communication, and teamwork skills in our students. To meet these
goals, ITUE advocates effective use of instructional technology
combined with active learning strategies, including problem-based
learning. Undergraduate students at UD benefit directly from the
reform activities of ITUE, an internationally recognized leader in
bringing problem-based learning to the undergraduate curriculum.
ITUE Faculty Fellowships are awarded annually. During an
intensive three-day session or distributed semester-long series,
Faculty Fellows receive hands-on experience in employing active
learning and web-based approaches. In addition, Fellows receive
small grants to help facilitate their course transformations. Additional
follow-up sessions are scheduled throughout the academic year.
For further information, please contact George Watson (302)
831-0740; e-mail: ud-itue@udel.edu or visit www.udel.edu/inst.
INSTITUTE OF ENERGY CONVERSION (IEC)
The Institute of Energy Conversion (IEC), established at the
University of Delaware in 1972, is a laboratory devoted to research
and development of thin-film photovoltaic solar cells and other
photonic devices. IEC was designated a University Center of
Excellence for Photovoltaic Research and Education by the
Department of Energy and the National Renewable Energy
Laboratory in 1992. Fundamental materials and device research is
carried out in parallel with process engineering studies and analysis
of film deposition processes. The broad scope of the research and
development effort offers opportunity for study in the field of
physics, chemistry, materials science, chemical engineering,
mechanical engineering, and electrical engineering as well as
collaboration with industrial groups seeking to manufacture and
commercialize photovoltaics. IEC is a totally integrated laboratory in
which materials and films are synthesized and characterized and
electrical devices are fabricated and analyzed, offering the unique
experience of correlating properties of completed devices with their
fabrication processing all under one roof. Close collaboration
between IEC staff and thin film photovoltaic industrial partners
insures that the research is relevant to today’s technology and
includes state-of-the-art process development.
The Institute is staffed by approximately 20 professional and
support personnel as well as faculty, visiting scholars, post-doctoral
fellows, graduate and undergraduate students. Professional staff
members jointly supervise graduate students for Masters and
Doctorate degrees in conjunction with the departments of Chemical
Engineering, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Materials Science
and Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, and Physics. The
professional staff members also lecture in undergraduate and
graduate level courses, supervise undergraduate student research
projects, and are active in related professional organizations. In
addition to these resources, students conducting research at IEC have
the opportunity for internships at other laboratories such as the
National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Denver, CO and at
industrial facilities.
For more information, please see www.udel.edu/iec.
INSTITUTE OF SOIL AND ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY (ISEQ)
The Institute of Soil and Environmental Quality (ISEQ),
established in 2002, is a center of excellence for research, education,
and outreach programs that provide science-based solutions to the
many environmental problems involving our soil resources. The
ISEQ has a three-fold mission:
To conduct basic and applied research on soil and environmental
quality issues. Integral to this research is a rigorous, comprehensive
graduate and undergraduate education program dedicated to training
new soil and environmental scientists. Our research faculty
emphasize interdisciplinary research between soil scientists and
colleagues in agronomy, chemistry, engineering, marine and earth
studies, hydrology, resource economics and environmental policy. As
part of this, the ISEQ supports graduate assistantships and an
undergraduate internship program in soil and environmental science.
To serve as an unbiased scientific advisory body for state,
regional, and national advisory and regulatory agencies, policy-makers,
and governmental leaders on issues related to soil and
environmental quality. All scientists affiliated with the ISEQ serve
on a Scientific Advisory Panel that responds to technical questions
from the public and private sector on soil and environmental science
issues.
To conduct public education and outreach programs designed to
further public understanding of soil and environmental quality issues
and thus foster effective citizen involvement in environmental policy-making.
The ISEQ provides training programs and educational aids
related to soil and environmental sciences for K-12 teachers. We also
conduct and support environmental education activities, such as
summer environmental camps and workshops, for youth, parents, and
teachers.
For more information, please see http://ag.udel.edu/iseq/ or
contact the ISEQ director, Dr. Tom Sims, jtsims@udel.edu.
JOHN L. WEINBERG CENTER FOR CORPORATE GOVERNANCE
The John L. Weinberg Center for Corporate Governance was
established at the University of Delaware’s Alfred Lerner College of
Business and Economics in 2000. The Center’s focus is to host
roundtable discussions on selected corporate governance issues
attended by members of the national business, legal and academic
communities, with the participation of members of the Delaware
judiciary and bar as well as the Delaware corporate community.
These discussions cover a variety of major corporate governance
topics such as executive compensation, federalism, governance
guidelines, audit, and director liability. Other activities of the center
include maintaining a national speakers bureau of experts, hosting
workshops and orientations on corporate governance for corporate
directors and executives of publicly-held, closely-held, and non-profit
corporations, supporting academic, legal, and business research on
corporate governance, and educating current students on current
issues of corporate governance.
For more information, contact the Center at (302) 831-6157 or
e-mail ccg@lerner.udel.edu.
MATHEMATICS & SCIENCE EDUCATION RESOURCE CENTER (MSERC)
The Mathematics & Science Education Resource Center
(MSERC), part of the College of Human Services, Education and
Public Policy, helps Delaware’s K-12 mathematics and science
teachers implement content and performance standards in their
classrooms. MSERC serves as an information center for mathematics
and science education activities, both within the University and
throughout the state, and plans and offers a professional development
program for K-12 mathematics and science teachers.
Through MSERC, Delaware teachers have access to the latest
curricular materials, the latest software and technology, and the latest
assessment tools, as well as to expertise in all these areas, on a year-round
basis. MSERC’s professional development programs are
scheduled so that teachers can attend easily (some are held in public
schools) and are sequenced so that teachers can begin at a point
appropriate to their experience and their pupils’ needs.
MSERC also collaborates with local school districts, the
Department of Education, and other agencies and groups dedicated to
enhancing mathematics and science education in Delaware.
For more information, please see www.udel.edu/mserc.
OFFICE OF EDUCATIONAL ASSESSMENT (OEA)
The Office of Educational Assessment (OEA) provides
resources and consulting to academic units engaged in the continuous
process of assessing student learning and development. All academic
programs at the University are committed to defining what students
should know and be able to do at the completion of their degree
program, identifying opportunities within and outside of the
classroom that enable students to achieve those goals, applying
measures to assess whether the desired outcomes for students are
being achieved, and using the results of the assessment to strengthen
curriculums and improve instruction. The OEA offers assistance,
guidance and advice to academic units as they engage in the
assessment of student learning, and maintains a website at
http://www.assessment.udel.edu that collects best practices, tools and
resources that are available to faculty. The Office of Educational
Assessment also coordinates special workshops, pilot projects, and
faculty leadership development initiatives that emphasize assessing
student learning as a priority of the University.
For more information, visit www.assessment.udel.edu.
OFFICE OF EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY (OET)
The Office of Educational Technology (OET) supports
instructional and desktop computing across the College of Human
Services, Education and Public Policy (CHEP); provides
technological leadership to academic programs throughout CHEP and
the teacher education programs in CHEP and across campus; and
offers contract- and grant-supported services for technology
integration to partners in CHEP initiatives, such as K-12 schools,
non-profit groups and government agencies. OET sponsors two
annual programs: the Summer Institute in Educational and Assistive
Technologies for inservice K-12 teachers and the New Arc Academy
for 4th to 8th grade students with a focus on math, science and
technology.
For more information, visit the web site at www.udel.edu/oet.
UNIVERSITY OF DELAWARE ENERGY INSTITUTE (UDEI)
The University of Delaware Energy Institute (UDEI) was
established to marshal the University’s extensive resources in
science, engineering, business and public policy to address the full
spectrum of challenges posed by our urgent energy needs. The
primary mission of UDEI is to facilitate and advance collaborative
research among faculty, staff and students in the various departments,
centers and institutes across campus that are involved in energyrelated
research.
As the focal point for the University of Delaware’s pursuit of
environmentally sound and technologically advanced energy
solutions, UDEI promotes research in the enabling science and
encourages the development and deployment of new and emerging
energy technologies. By leveraging the University’s strengths in
research, education and policy in energy and by partnering with
industry and government, UDEI, with other units, provides students
with interdisciplinary education and research experiences in the
energy field along with insight into the economic, engineering, and
political realities of commercializing and implementing new
technologies into the marketplace. UDEI also serves as a resource for
energy-related technological advancements and advice to decision
makers in the public and private sectors. For more information,
please visit www.energy.udel.edu.
UNIVERSITY OF DELAWARE PRESS
The University of Delaware Press publishes books in many
scholarly fields and disciplines. These books reach a world-wide
intellectual and academic community. Presently its major strengths
are in literary studies, art history and history, including the life and
culture of Delaware and the Eastern Shore. The Press offers
assistantships to qualified graduate students and internships to
qualified undergraduates. These students work with the chair of the
editorial board and the managing editor to learn the day-to-day
operations of a scholarly press. Students typically work 5-10 hours a
week, as the budget allows, and may represent the press at annual
conventions and meetings of scholars and academics.
Interested students should contact the chair, Dr. Donald C. Mell,
University of Delaware Press, 326 Hullihen Hall, telephone (302)
831-1149 or visit the web site at
http://www2.lib.udel.edu/udpress/.
